Kirov (Putilov) plant: history, products

The basis for the future of the flagship of the domestic industry was the equipment of the Kronstadt Iron Foundry, transferred to St. Petersburg at the very beginning of the 10th century at the behest of Emperor Paul.

Kirov (Putilov) plant. History of formation

The first products of the enterprise formed in 1801 were cast iron cores for the needs of the artillery of the army and navy. The main achievement of the Scotsman Charles Gascoigne, appointed by the director, was the introduction and development of new casting technologies. In the first decade of exploitation, the production of architectural artifacts from cast iron was mastered, the production of soldier's guns, weights and weights, lights and buttons was set.

In 1812, the machine-building department was established at the plant, and in the erected stone workshops the production of steam engines, mechanisms, machine tools for own needs and the developing industry of the Russian Empire was launched. Huge damage to the plant was caused by flooding in 1824: 152 people died, equipment and workshops were destroyed, flooded and rendered useless.

Engineer and entrepreneur

In the next forty years, the foundry in St. Petersburg was replaced by several owners, and even a large state order for the delivery of railroads in 1844 did not save the enterprise from bankruptcy.

In 1868, the plant was bought by Nikolai Ivanovich Putilov, who in 12 years managed to turn it into an advanced profitable multi-profile enterprise. Only a year later Putilov Plant produced more than 80 tons of rail steel per day, a quality superior to English products, and also mastered the production of Bessemer steel. In 1872, with the formation of the Putilov Factory Society and the launch of a steel-rolling workshop, the product range of the enterprise was supplemented by bridge structures, wagons and locomotives.

Already after the death of Nikolai Ivanovich in 1880, the followers realized his long-standing dream of uniting the Putilov Plant with the Marine Canal with Kronstadt, ensuring the passage of ships not only for the shipment of the plant's products and supplies of raw materials, but also for the needs of the whole of St. Petersburg. It was under Putilov that the foundations for the professional training of factory personnel were laid, the development of the social infrastructure of the enterprise began.

At the decline of the empire

By the beginning of the 20th century, the Putilov plant became the undisputed leader among domestic metallurgical and machine building enterprises and one of the largest in Europe. The number of employees exceeded 12,400 people. The first military ships were built on the slipways created at the factory: first destroyers, and then - cruisers and destroyers. Among the unique products of that time - the fastest destroyer Novik, the quick-firing field gun, the first in the world antiaircraft gun of the Lender system, the floating 100-ton crane carrying the labor watch and in the present days.

On the new strategic level, the Putilov plant of the famous owner, A. I. Putilov, who was included in the board of directors in 1910 and invested more than 30 million rubles into the enterprise, brought the Putilov plant to the new Russian Krupp project. (At a cost of all property 19 million rubles.) The monthly production of artillery pieces was increased more than fivefold. For many of the positions it produced, the plant was a monopolist, which guaranteed huge profits to the owners. However, the revolutionary movement that overcame the country made its own corrections.

The Soviet period

The Putilov plant in Petrograd on the eve of the 1917 revolution had about 35,000 workers in the state. It was the mass performance of his team that served as the beginning of the February coup. By the end of the year the enterprise was nationalized and was later renamed "Krasny Putilovets", and in 1934 it was named after SM Kirov. For the industry of the young Soviet Republic, the plant produced rolled metal products, rolling stock, equipment for hydroelectric power plants, tractors, and a series of L-1 cars. In 1939 the world's first heavy tanker line was launched.

During the Great Patriotic War, part of the plant with personnel was evacuated to Chelyabinsk. The remaining shops in the besieged Leningrad practically on the front line continued to produce and repair tanks and armored vehicles.

At the end of the war, the plant was redesigned for the serial production of military equipment, equipment for the energy and nuclear industry, and tractors Kirovets.

Current state

In 1992 the JSC "Kirovsky Zavod" was established. Heavy socio-economic conditions forced the company's leaders to re-orient production once again, introducing competitive technologies at the same time. Among the main products of the plant are armored vehicles (Onega, Ladoga, Combat), road-building and special equipment for the construction, gas and oil industries. Tractors "Kirovets" are in demand not only in the domestic market, but also actively exported to 14 countries.

Kirov gearbox turbines and other power equipment are installed on many nuclear submarines, icebreakers, military and merchant vessels.

Further perspectives

According to the unanimous opinion of experts and analysts, the Kirov plant is one of the locomotives for the development of domestic engineering. Among the immediate strategic tasks, the company's managers especially highlight the gradual withdrawal from the total exploitation of the dilapidated equipment and the technical re-equipment of the basic production facilities, the improvement of the organization of labor and training of the personnel fund, the search for and development of new lines of business. It is multi-profile (in the company - more than 30 subsidiaries with a staff of about 6 thousand) will stay afloat in difficult economic conditions. Prospective projects are construction of a large container terminal on the shoreline of the plant, provision of third-party mooring places, bunkering services.

It remains to be hoped that a balanced and competent policy of the Board of Directors will restore the former grandeur to the Kirov (Putilov) plant.